Other News

The UK’s new Prime Minister Theresa May has scrapped the Department for Energy and Climate Change (DECC) in her Cabinet reshuffle. DECC policy areas will now move to the new Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy. The energy portfolio will now be led by former Communities Secretary Greg Clark. A DECC spokesman confirmed to Biofuels International that DECC policy areas will…
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The US Department of Energy (DOE) has announced funds worth up to $15 million (€13.5m) for the advancement of algae-based technologies for biofuels. This funding will advance the research and development of advanced biofuel technologies to speed the commercialisation of renewable, domestically produced, and affordable fossil-fuel replacements, the DOE said in a statement. The three projects…
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A total of 17 members of the US-based House Biofuels Caucus have urged the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) to change its 2017 biofuels blend target from 14.8bn gallons to 15 billion gallons. The Renewable Fuels Association (RFA) was among several associations to submit comments in a letter to the EPA. According to the association, there’s no justification for lowering the requirement,…
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Japanese companies Mitsui Zosen Machinery & Service (MZM) and Mitsubishi Chemical Corp. (MCC) have formed a partnership to produce and sell zeolite membranes, which are used in bioethanol production. Under the agreement MCC will purchase MZM’s entire output of zeolite membranes and hold the sole sales rights in the US and other global markets, SeeNews reports. The companies will also…
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Boeing, South African Airways (SAA) and low-cost carrier Mango have operated Africa’s first sustainable-fuelled flights powered with tobacco-based biofuels. The SAA and Mango flights from Johannesburg to Cape Town, operated by a Boeing 737-800, used sustainable biojet fuel produced from Sunchem’s nicotine-free tobacco plant Solaris, refined by AltAir Fuels and supplied by…
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Alliance BioEnergy Plus subsidiary Ek Laboratories has developed a pathway to produce JP-8, an advanced military grade aviation biofuel, at the suggestion of US government officials. Aviation biofuels offer a variety of advantages over conventional petroleum based jet fuels. Cellulosic biofuels using the CTS process can produce a jet fuel that is nearly 90% cleaner than conventional jet fuels and…
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The European Automobile Manufacturers' Association (ACEA) has welcomed the European Commissions’ report on low-emission mobility. The report, which was published yesterday (20th July), explores policy options to decarbonise transport beyond 2020.  ACEA Secretary General, Erik Jonnaert said: "The automobile industry is fully committed to continue reducing CO2 emissions across all…
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UK-based environmental consultancy Ricardo and Recycling Technologies, a UK-based waste-to-energy specialist, have announced they are to begin work on a new project to characterise plastic-waste-derived clean fuel.  Recycling Technologies has developed a machine (the RT7000) and is industrialising a process to convert residual plastic waste into a low sulphur hydrocarbon compound called…
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PLN, an Indonesian state power firm, has announced that  it cannot comply with government rules on burning diesel with a bio content of at least 30% as it would damage generators, potentially curbing demand for biofuel ingredient palm oil in the world's top producer of that commodity, according to news agency Reuters. Under regulations released in 2015, Jakarta mandated that the power…
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French renewable energy company Global Bioenergies, IBN-One and Lantmännen Aspen, a global specialist in alkylate gasoline for two and four stroke small engines, have entered into a partnership on renewable isooctane for specialty fuel applications. IBN-One is a joint venture between Global Bioenergies and French ethanol producer Cristol Union. They aim to build and operate a plant in…
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Finnish oil refiner and biofuels producer Neste has released a list of four reasons why the company believes the world of tomorrow needs biofuels. Combating climate change Combating climate change forces the world to seek alternative, low-carbon sources of energy and fuel, Neste says. Since traffic is one of the largest sources of greenhouse gas, i.e. carbon emissions, substituting fossil fuels…
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US navy aircraft carrier John C. Stennis Strike Group (JCSSG) and 26 nations will participate in the world's largest international maritime exercise for the 25th annual Rim of the Pacific (RIMPAC) in and around the Hawaiian Islands and Southern California using 11.2 million gallons of a 10% alternative fuel blend. The alternative fuel that will be used during RIMPAC is derived from waste beef fat…
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Three fossil fuels – petroleum, natural gas, and coal – have provided more than 80% of total US energy consumption for more than 100 years, according to the US Energy Information Administration (EIA). In 2015, fossil fuels made up 81.5% of total US energy consumption, the lowest fossil fuel share in the past century, the energy information service found. In EIA's Annual Energy Outlook…
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